Friday, August 17, 2012

Strategic and Objective Thinking

1) I do not know how to explain this subject academically. I am just can explain this in very plain as a layman. I am must also thankful to Najieb Mokhtar for teach me a lot on this subject albeit not literally.

2) What has prompted me to write this piece, when was another good friend of mine, Aida have asked "Kenapa orang Melayu suka memandang serong terhadap perbuatan baik yang kita buat? My answer to her is simple, blunt and yet provocative, Malays or Muslims are no longer abide to true teaching of Islam.

3) Initially she don't understand the relevancy of the teaching of Islam with her question. Therefore I'm used Tun Dr Mahathir analogy in explaining to her. Tun used to say that most of Malays or Muslims forgotten that Islam is the way of life [Ad-Din]. To them, Islam is just 5 pillars of Islam, i.e. shahadah, prayer, zakat, fasting and Pilgrimage to Mecca. But the other teaching of Islam were neglected, including Strategic and Objective Thinking. Therefore, Muslims world of nowdays are facing stagnation and backwardness.

4) We are more concern on matters that was tactical, when someone who selling the medicine item which is good for your sex consciouness, which requires more deeper explainations, it was considered taboo by the listerner. As I said it before, our mind were always full of prejudism and mental block until it blinded our eyes and mind from the truth. We are more concern on matters that were tacticals, until its prevent us from having a strategic and objective thinking which are more importants. Eventually it prevented us from developing.

5) This kind of attitude has led our Muslims world and Malays in particular remain undeveloped and stagnant or even goes backward. Japanese and German's have proved, eventhough they lost devastatingly in WWII, they still can rise from the ases and regained their dignity. What are the values that embended in their culture that has made these 2 countries regained their dignity and being developed? Have we ever thought about this matter? I am reckon we are not. Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah has laid a good foundation for our Muslims to excel in life, unfortunately the Muslims and Malays are not interested in pursuing fardhu kifayah because we are too obsessed with our ulama who taught us to be self centered - only thinking our own future in the afterlife rather than thinking about the future our muslim brothers. I find it very ironic when we blamed our Muslim brothers for the downfall of our civilization - accused them for not pursue and abide to original teaching of Islam. But when we were asked what is the teaching? - We just answering by  giving the values of Fardhu Ain, and simply forgetting the other teaching values which is Fardhu Kifayah. The questions is, are we a true Muslim if we just pursue in Fardhu Ain? Are we a true Muslim that have a right to judge our own brother as infidel just because of political differ? 

6) This mental baggage is the real culprit of Muslim backwardness. We will remain backward and left behind if this mental baggage remain in our subconscious. We must reinterprets our Islamic teaching and instill a new values as stated in Al-Quran. Our teaching have to remain progressive as to allows us for not being left behind. In fact Tun Dr Mahathir has tried to implements its during his 22 years tenure as PM. I must say, and I am quite sure that Tun Dr Mahathir lament its bear no tangible results in his effort to instill these values in Malays subconscious and culture.

7) Thus I am quite sure that Aida will come across this kind of attitude among her Malay friends - as a true Muslim we/she have to remained patience when it come to this circumstances, being patience is also one of true teaching of Islam - which clearly says "patience is half of faith".